Recently, I was free motion quilting a baby quilt and I was interupted by skipped stitches. Everything would be perfect for a few inches and then I’d have to stop and rip. Since quilting is supposed to be fun (and this wasn’t), I did some research, started experimenting, and finally fixed the problem. Here’s what I learned – along with some words of wisdom from a few of my quilting friends.
What are Skipped Stitches?
The needle holes show where the stitches were skipped.
In free motion quilting, skipped stitches are when the needle carries the top thread into the quilt sandwich, but the thread does not form a stitch. The needle may leave a hole when it pulls out of the quilt, but the top thread also pulls out of the hole. Skipped stitches can come one at a time or several in sequence. I have a tolerance for one here and there, but groups look bad and I rip them out and try to figure out what’s causing the problem.
What Causes Skipped Stitches?
Skipped stitches are caused by incorrect timing in the stitch formation process. For stitches to form properly, the hook and needle’s bottom position must be timed just right. There are factors that can affect this:
- How you prepare your sewing machine for free motion quilting
- Thread size and quality
- Needle size and type
- Presser foot choice
- Presser foot pressure
- Your free motion quilting technique
As you make adjustments to solve the skipping problem, remember to change one thing at a time and test on a quilt sandwich that matches the quilt you’re working on.
Machine Preparation
Everything you need to clean your machine
- Make sure the machine is threaded properly. This sounds simple, but a small oversight can cause big issues. Michele Scott, quilter, author, teacher, suggests turning the machine off and back on to restart or reboot to reset anything that may have become “goofy.”
- Michele Scott also suggests trying a single hole or straight stitch throat (stitch) plate. The smaller opening leaves less room for the quilt to flap as the needle punctures the quilt sandwich, pushing it down and pulling it back up.
- Reduce the top thread tension. Start with small changes, but don’t be afraid to approach zero. Just keep checking where the stitch locks (top thread with bobbin thread) to make sure you’re fixing your skipping problem and not causing a tension problem.
- Make sure your feed dogs are down. I know, but check anyway. If you can’t cover them or lower them, then set the stitch length to zero to keep them from moving.
- Make sure the needle is inserted completely and properly.
- Clean the bobbin area and make sure there are no errant threads hiding there. Oil, if appropriate.
- Victoria Findlay Wolfe, artist, quilter, and owner of Bumble Beans, Inc., suggests getting rid of all those dust bunnies hiding under your throat (stitch) plate. You may be surprised by how many you find!
- Shannon Shirley, an award-winning quilter, says she gives her machine a good cleaning. Sounds like a great idea!
Thread
Successful combination of thread for this baby quilt
- Use quality thread. This will cut down on lint (bonus!) and make a nicer stitch.
- Try a different size thread. Sometimes really small threads can be too small to be caught by the hook. If this is consistently a problem, take your machine in to be serviced and explain the problem. This is an easy adjustment. Try a thread that’s one step larger to see if this is the issue.
- According to Kathy Lincoln, who teaches machine quilting, some batiks grab the thread fiber, interfering with good stitch formation. If batiks are giving you trouble, trying a finer thread could be the solution.
Needles
- Dull or damaged needles can cause skipped stitches. Change your needle.
- Use the right needle for your machine. I like Schmetz for my Bernina.
- Microtex/Sharp needles work well with tightly woven fabrics, like batiks.
- Topstitch needles have a bigger eye, which can be helpful if you are using larger thread.
- Needles that are too small can cause flapping (why do they call it flagging?). Start with 80/12 and move up from there.
- Kathy Lincoln says this about needles: It may seem counter-intuitive, but try going from a sharp point to a ball point needle. The ball point will separate the fibers instead of cutting through them.
Bernina presser feet, left to right: #15, #44c, BSR with clear plastic sole
Presser Feet
- Start with whatever foot your machine manufacturer recommends. Generally, a darning foot is fine.
- My Bernina foot #15 is my go-to foot for free motion quilting.
- If flapping (flagging) becomes an issue, go for a foot that has more surface area, like Bernina’s #44. If you’re using the Bernina Stitch Regulator (the BSR), use the clear plastic sole. The idea is to provide as much coverage around the needle as possible to cut down on flapping.
Presser Foot Pressure
- If the skipped stitches are caused by flapping, then increasing presser foot pressure can help reduce the flapping. While the presser foot does not actually ride on the fabric while you are free motion quilting as it does in regular sewing, increasing the pressure can limit the space within which the quilt sandwich can flap up and down.
- Change presser foot pressure in small increments (On my Bernina, I change in increments of 5, starting with the default 50 setting) and test, test, test. For the batik baby quilt, I finally fixed the problem with a presser foot pressure set at 85.
Technique
- Don’t push the fabric too fast. If you can’t slow your hand speed, then increase the machine speed.
- Use your hands to keep the target section flat and firm (but not stretched or tight). I keep my hands flat, fingers at 12:00 and thumbs pointed toward each other at 3:00 and 9:00. Think of the stereotypical film director framing a shot with his hands. The area between my hands is where I stitch. Yes, you have to reposition your hands pretty often and, yes, it’s worth it.
- Try to keep a steady, consistent speed.
- Make a test sandwich out of the same materials you are using in your quilt. Test before you move to the quilt. Seriously. I like to skip this, but it’s best to play it safe. Use it to test tension and stitch quality.
- I have an anonymous quilting buddy who says she switches off her machine and heads to the kitchen for an adult beverage. Hmm. That sounds like a plan. Take a break and start fresh later.
If nothing here works, then your machine timing may be off. You may need to take it in to your machine tech for service. Be prepared to sew at the shop and demonstrate the skipped stitches. Take your quilt or the test sandwich with you to the shop.
My baby quilt has a batik top, batik backing, and thin cotton batting. I was quilting on my Bernina 820 with Superior Threads’s King Tut (cotton 40-weight thread) in the top and Aurifil Mako (50-weight cotton thread) in the bobbin. The winning combination was a 90/14 topstitch needle, 1.25 top thread tension, the Bernina Stitch Regulator with the clear plastic sole set on BSR 1, and the presser foot pressure set at 85. Now I just need to finish the binding!
For more information about this quilt, read my previous blog entry.
What a great post! This is worth printing for reference. Thanks, Sherry
Thanks, Sherry! I just hate it when I get skipped stitches — and I had a feeling it might be something others experience too. I’m so glad you liked it!
This is so useful. Thanks for all the homework you did for the rest of us!
Thanks, Anne. I hope it’s helpful!
Thanks so much for this, I am printing it! I have had problems off and on with my Bernina 820 so it’s good to read about someone who has solved their problems with it.
Thanks for your comment! I wouldn’t say I’ve solved my 820 problems completely, but I’m closer to it. The 820 is a monster machine and I think it takes a while to learn all of the adjustments and nuances. As Bernina says, it’s a sewing computer. I just love working with it.
Great post! So many great tips!! I also have an 820 and am consistently frustrated with the BSR free motion quilting. The really frustrating part is that I feel like I start at square one with every project in terms of trouble shooting the stitch. Just when I think I have it figured out, the next project (same thread, same needles, clean machine, etc.) goes wrong. I would like to have back the time I’ve spent trouble shooting. OR I’d like to have my 440 with a nice big opening.
Never a free motion problem with that machine.
Thanks for the comment. I agree; we do start over with each project, but I’m not sure that’s a totally bad thing. I think the 8 series Berninas are sensitive, but I believe the advantages (lighting, speed, extra space, and adjustments) make them worth it. Are you having other 820 issues?
A great post, I think from time to time we need reminders to check our equipment – thank you.
Thank you, Miche’le, for your comment. I agree.
This information is very useful since I had this very problem with my last quilt. It took forever figuring out what needed adjusting and how much, but finally I got it. I have a question that I cannot seem to find on the web anywhere, have you ever heard of anyone doing a zigzag stitch as you with in the ditch stitching. Instead of straight stitching could I do a zigzag type stitch or would it look weird? I have only made one quilt but am going for my 2nd one and just wandered if this would work. If you have an opinion about this it would be very much appreciated.
I have used a narrow wave type stitch which follows the “ditch” but flows gently from one side to the other. On the Bernina, I set the stitch length at about
2 1/2 and the width at about two if I remember correctly. It’s best to do a test strip to see how wide you want you stitch path to be and how long you want each stitch.
Thank you for this information – I was starting to think it as user error. I am going to change the thread in my bobbin which is a thinner weight than what is in my needle. I have the bernina BSR but since I learned how to free motion without it, I don’t like to use it. I would rather just reduce the pedal speed on my aurora 440 and just sew.
I have struggled with my thread tension during free motion quilting as well, keeping my upper tension sometimes as low as 1 or 2. When using two different contrasting colors for my upper and lower threads I struggle to find the right combination of tension above to prevent either thread from showing through to the other side.
Thanks for this info. I am going to try switching out my thread and see what happens.
Hanna,
Sorry for the delay in answer this. I didn’t realize your comment was here!
I’m sure you have already made the necessary adjustments to fix the issues you were having, but I would just say this: don’t be afraid to reduce your top thread tension even lower than 1. I’ve sewn with the tension at .25. Sometimes that’s what you need to do to avoid thread pop or just to make two different threads work in harmony. Your machine is a tool and you can make whatever adjustments are necessary to make it work for you.
Best of luck!
Cyndi
You mentioned setting the presser foot to 85 when quilting your baby quilt- which is beautiful btw. I am using the Bernina 830 and the BSR but I don’t know what you mean by setting the presser foot. I also get tiny stitches. I’d appreciate any information you have about increasing the stitch length using the BSR. Thank you, Ilene
Ilene,
Thanks for the comment. Here’s some information you might find helpful.
To adjust the presser foot tension, find the presser foot tension button on the home screen. On my 820, it’s on the 4th row just to the right of the top thread tension button, which looks like a thermometer. It looks like a presser foot with an arrow pointing down with a number. My default presser foot tension setting is 50; that’s the number on the button on my machine. Touch the button and make the adjustments on the following screen.
I’ve never adjusted the stitch length for the BSR, but I believe you do it as you normally would using the bottom silver knob to the right of the touch screen. For it to affect the BSR, I believe you have to adjust the stitch length while the BSR is engaged/plugged in.
Best of luck! Let me know how you make out.
Cyndi
I am so happy to have found your post after an afternoon of ripping stitch after stitch… So frustrating. The strange thing is this problem started two quilts ago. Prior to that no problems at all. I took my machine in yesterday for routine cleaning and my BSR needed updating. I thought that would solve my problem. I have a Bernina 430 and use quality thread. When I use a small test sandwich it works fine. I get excited, put the quilt back on the machine and am able to go at most two inches.
One question I have, I am using a quality micro fleece backing which I have used before with success. Any suggestions with using this fabric? Also, the thread I’m using is YLI machine quilting thread. If its the thread I’m concerned about changeing it midstream as that might be very noticeable.
I will go through your checklist for possible causes but any suggestions are greatly appreciated! Up until now I have really enjoyed this part of the quilt creation process. Now I dread it…
Vanessa
OMG… After trying your suggestions it now works properly. What seemed to be the fix for me was to change to the clear foot. I also changed to BSR1 and then back to BSR 2 which also helped stitch consistency for some reason. THANK YOU SO MUCH! I can’t wait to do free motion quilting on this piece once again!!!
Vanessa, that’s great news! I’m so glad you’re back on track! Thanks for letting me know.